Internal combustion engine



oct 7, 1941- R. M. NARDONE INTERNIAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed April l0, 1940 QN ...l v NS MQ .m .d El M Nh v m. .mi l f m NS Q i N :E: \mw\ fl l :.w, QSqQ r mm RM. E l? n d wqvmk S, mm, w DN a s w l mm ww z m ml/M m w N 0 M BN Nm, mm; R uw .m. .|l www Illllll n @mi m f f il H lm 1 Il wlb mv @wl v |m 'Kuli @m4 'MII H A* l- N mv ma N VV mm, N\ b4 wwf! 3m m m m .w m 1|- w K www w 1 f l ml .HMH mv NV m@ H m Patented Oct. 7, 1941 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Romeo M.

to Bendix Aviation Corporation,

Nardone, East Orange, N. J., assgnor South Bend,

Ind., a corporation of Delaware Application April 10, 1940, Serial No. 328,991

' 1 claim.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines, and particularly to mechanism associated with the engine crank-shaft to impart initial rotary movement thereto, and subsequently to be driven thereby.

An object of the invention is to provide novel mechanism of the foregoing character, adapted to be mounted on the engine crank-case in constant operative engagement with an extension of the engine crank-shaft, the arrangement being such that the engine is started by energy derived from an external source, such asa reservoir of fluid under pressure, which source may thereafter be replenished by the operation of the mechanism as a fluid pump, driven by the engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel construction wherein either of two rotors, as for example the rotor of a fluid motor and the crank-shaft of an internal combustion engine, may drive the other, but wherein the speed ratio of the rotors is automatically changed whenever the driving function is transferred from one to the other. I y

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for producing such automatic change in speed ratios, in a mechanism of the character indicated. I

Another object is to provide a novel application of hydraulic means to an internal combustion engine, for interchange of power therebetween.

These and other objects of the invention will vbecome apparent from inspection of the following specification when read with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein is illustrated the preferred embodiment of -the invention. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration only, and is not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had to the' appended claim for this purpose.

In thedrawing,

Fig. 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section, of a device embodying the invention;

Fig, 2 is a view of certain parts of the assembly of Fig. l, in relatively different positions; and

Fig. 3 is a schematicdiagram of the fluid receptacles and connections.

In the drawing reference characters 5, 6, 1, and-8 designate the supporting sections constituting the housing of the device, the sections 5 and 6 being apertured to receive bolts by which the unit is attached to a circular mounting flange projecting from the enginecrank-case and surrounding the clutch elements |2 and I3, the former being slidably received in the oil seaiing assembly I4 of the housing section 5, and the mating clutch element I3 being an operative extension of the engine crank-shaft.

The assembly I4 facilitates longitudinal travel of the clutch element I2 into engagement with clutch element I3, the latter having ay splined link 9 engaging corresponding splines on a screwshaft I0 which constitutes the actuatingl element for the longitudinal as well as the subsequent rotary movement of the clutch element I2.

A shaft I5 is rotatable within screw-shaft I0, and extends through a compound planetary gear train whoselow speed end is drivably connected to said screw-shaft I0. Shaft I5 has a splined end I1 drivably connecting with the correspondingly splined recess of the engine clutch element I3; the opposite end of shaft I5 being-flanged, as indicated at I9, to form the inner race of a uni-directional clutch whose outer race 2| is rotatable with the rotor 22 of the fluid motor which serves as the driving agency for the gear train during the starting phase of the cycle of operation. During subsequent running of the engine the inter-meshed gears 22 and 23 operate-to pump huid back to the reservoir, or pressure accumulator |21 (Fig. 3); the drive path being shifted automatically from the planetary gear train to the shaft I5 by the novel means now to be described.

The means for automatically shifting the drive from the gear'train to the shaft I5 includes, in conjunction with the uni-directional clutch I9, 2|, a second uni-directional clutch 26, 21; the element 26 being shown as a circular ratchet integral with the sun gear 28 of the rst stage of the gear train, and the element 21 being a mating ratchet ring that is constantly urged into meshing relationship with ratchet ring 26 by reason of the provision of a series ofcoiled compressed springs 34 arranged at angular intervals about the circular flange 36 of outer clutch race 2|; the springs bearing against the bottoms of pockets 31 of the ratchet ring 21, to urge the latter to the left as viewed in the-drawing,

The speed responsive portion of the automatic drive shifting means, which acts conjointly with but in opposition to the springs 34, is shown as involving a set of balls 38 mounted in an annular cage 39 in such manner as to be shiftable to a limited extent in their individual retainer slots, by the action of centrifugal force thereupon as cage 39 is rotated with its carrying member 4l) screwed `to shaft ilange I3 on which said carrier 40 is mounted. As the balls 38 move outward from the axis of rotation of shaft I5, they are defiected to the right by the sloping peripheral surface of member 40. 'Ihis deflection to the right causes balls 38 to exert a correspondingly directed pressure upon a flat annular portion of the ratchet ring 21, thereby moving the said ratchet ring 21 to the right, notwithstanding the opposition of springs 34. The condition of engagement as between ratchets 26 and 21 is thus discontinued, automatically, whenever the speed of shaft I becomes sulcient to cause balls 38 to be thrown outward and to the right, as indicated.

On the inner surface of the member 1 a plurality of (herein shown as three) sets of gear teeth are provided, as shown at 4|, 42, and 43; each set being engaged by a plurality of pinions (44, 45, and 46), constituting the planets of the gear train. As shown, there are preferably three planets in each set, each planet containing a sleeve bearing (as at 41) facilitating free rotation about the corresponding one of the stub shafts (48) by which each is secured to an arm (49) of the respective mounting cages, the hubs (5|) of which have toothed extensions constituting sun gears adaptedA to mesh with the succeeding set of planet pinions. The last set of stub shafts 48, however, are secured to a barrel 52 rotatable in housing section 6 and containing the multiple disc clutch 53.

As shown, the disc clutch 53 comprises a plurality of inter-leaving discs alternately splined to the inner surface of the barrel 52 and the outer surface of a shell 54 internally threaded to engage corresponding threads 56 on the screwshaft I0, heretofore referred to. Resilient means.

such as a plurality of coiled compression springs 51, the pressure of which is adjustable by a nut 58 threadedly engaging the end of the barrel 52,

*are provided to press upon a ring 59 surrounding member 54, and thus maintain the discs 53 in frictional engagement with a pressure sufficient to insure transmission of torque from barrel 52 to shell 54, up to a predetermined capacity.

To begin the cycle of operation, valve |22 (see Fig. 3) is opened and selector valves |23 and |3I are thrown (by the common control handle |43) to positions in which conduits |25 and -|26,l also conduits |44A and |45, inter-communicate. Liquid under pressure then passes from accumulator |21 to the starter by way of conduits |28, |25, |28, and |2I, the latter terminating in the pump housing. Rotation is thus imparted to the gears 22 and 23, and thence to the engine crank-shaft by way of the intervening ratchet elements 21, 26, the planetary gear train, the elements 52, 53, 54 and 56, and the clutch I2, I3; as heretofore indicated, the shaft I5 being rotated at the slower speed of the member I3, and the difference in speeds between shaft I5 and rotor 22 being made possible by the interposed over-runningclutch I9, 2|. The liquid is discharged on the opposite side of gears 22 and 23, to conduit |29, and from there to the reservoir |30, the return path including conduit` |44, return flow selector valve |3|, conduit |45, the shut-off valve |32, and the conduit |33.

As soon as the engine starts, the operator closes communication between conduits |25 and |25 (by appropriate shifting of valve |43) and the gears 22 and 23 now pump liquid from reservoir |30, by way of conduit I4I, non-return valve |42 and conduits I 20 and |2I, and deliver the pumped liquid to the accumulator |21, by way of conduit |29, conduit |52, non-return valve |53, and conduit |54. This delivery replenishes the supply of liquid under pressure in accumulator |21, so that the latter may continue to serve the needs of the entire hydraulic system, not only during continued operation of the engine, but also during subsequent starting thereof. During this pumping phase of operation the drive from engine member I3 to the pump gear 22 is by way of shaft I5, hence at a one-to-one ratio, for the clutch element I2 is automatically retracted (to the position indicated in Fig. l) and therefore there is no rotation of the planetary gear train by the engine; and as the speed of rotation of shaft I5 is the same as that of engine member |3, it follows that there will be sufficient centrifugal force to hold balls 38 in the outer position (Fig. 2) thereby preventing any possible return of ratchet element 21 to the engaging (gear driving) position shown in Fig. 1, until such time as the engine stops, whereupon the decelerating balls 38 will be thrust back (by springs 34) to the position shown in Fig. 1, thus carrying the ratchet element 21 back into engagement with teeth 26, so that the parts are in position for the next engine starting operation.

The threads 58 of screw-shaft I0 are shown as terminating at the neck portion 55, which neck portion thus provides a surface engageable with the shoulder of shell 54 to stop the longitudinal travel of the screw |0 when the parts I2 and I3 have been fully meshed. Thisvfeature of construction of the screw I0 and shell 54 is claimed in my application No. 362,272, filed October 22, 1940.

Although the clutch elements 26, 21 are shownl as ratchet elements, any other form of disengageable clutch may be substituted, as the use of uni-directional driving faces, at this point in the assembly, is not essential. Likewise other changes may be made in the construction and inter-relationship of the parts, to the extent permitted by the scope of the appended claim. Related subject matter is disclosed in my application No. 319,955'fi1ed February 20, 1940.

What is claimed is:

In combination with an internal combustion engine and a source of liquid under pressure, means including a pump operable to cause flow of liquid under pressure, first, from said pressure source, and secondly, to said pressure source, means forming a. driving connection for rotation of the engine by the pump, and means driven by the engine for continuing the rotation of the pump in the same direction after the engine,

ROMEO M. NARDONE. 

